The healing powers of Honey

The healing powers of honey
Most people think of honey as something that is to be spread on bread, but few realise how many uses it has. Its unique properties mean that it is found in foods, cosmetics, and it even has a place in health care and healing.
Caution: some studies suggest that honey should not be given to babies under the age of one year, as it may lead to poisoning.
Honey has been used for its healing properties for over four thousand years. The Egyptians had over 500 medical formulas based on it whilst the Greeks used it to cure skin disorders. Recent research has shown that they might have had the right idea.

What is honey made of?
Honey is made up from fructose, glucose, water and other sugars. It also contains many enzymes, vitamins, minerals and amino acids that your body needs. Honey contains many antioxidants that are used by the body to eliminate free radicals - molecules which zip around in healthy cells and have the potential to damage them. Honey therefore makes a good alternative to sugar in food and drink. Care must be taken though, as honey does contain lots of sugars and it must be eaten in moderation. Sugars should not generally represent more than 10 percent of your total calorie intake.

How honey can heal
Research being carried out around the world suggests that honey helps in the healing and sterilising of wounds and ulcers, in the growth of new skin, and, has many antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. The reason for this is the unique combination of properties that honey has.

Antibacterial properties
Honey is high in sugar, low in protein and quite acidic. These factors combine to make honey free from contaminants itself and help it to kill the contaminants it comes into contact with. The main antibacterial agent in honey is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is released when honey touches the skin. This is produced by the enzyme glucose oxidase which is introduced into honey by the bee. However various types of honey will contain slightly different antibacterial substances.
.
Scar prevention
Honey has a hygroscopic nature. This means that when honey is exposed to air, it draws moisture in from the air. This is very useful as honey may help to:
prevent scarring by keeping the skin moist
help in the growth of new tissue
stop bandages from becoming stuck to an open wound if applied to the bandage before use
It is this nature which causes honey to be an ingredient in lots of cosmetics and make up, as it keeps the skin moist and fresh and prevents drying.

Manuka honey
A type of honey called Manuka honey is especially important as it contains a component that is effective against more resistant bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus and helicobacter pylori. It is this type of honey has been shown to be very good in treating some stomach ulcers and sore throats.

Honey Cures

Honey contains copper, iron, silica, vitamin B, manganese, chlorine, calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorous, aluminum and magnesium. Depending on the part of the world where the honey comes from, honey will vary in mineral content.
WARNING! Never give honey to an infant under 12 months.

• Afternoon Fatigue: At 3:00pm (or when the body is feeling fatigued), drink 1/2 Tablespoon of honey in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder. Energy will increase within one week if taken daily.

• Anxiety and Nervous Tension: Honey is said to calm a nervous, high strung person. It can also help you sleep at night. For insomnia, take 1 Tablespoon of honey at dinner. If that doesn't work, try mixing 3 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 cup of honey in a jar. Take 2 teaspoons before bed. If you don't fall asleep within the hour, take 2 teaspoons more. An old ayuverdic remedy has men taking the same dosage (2 Tablespoons of honey) before bed to treat impotence.

• Honey for pain relief: Mix 3 Tbls. of honey in boiled water and drink. Honey has natural pain-relieving powers.

• Longevity Tea: Boil 3 cups of water with 4 teaspoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Drink 1/4 cup, 3 or 4 times a day. Said to give steady energy and keep the skin soft!

• Honey Relieves Coughs: Here's a recipe from the book, Folk Medicine, by DC Jarvis: boil a whole lemon slowly for 10 minutes. Cut the lemon in 2 and extract the juice. Add juice to a 4 oz glass. Then add 2 Tablespoons of glycerine and fill the remaining glass with honey. Dosage: 1 teaspoon during the day. Stir with spoon before taking. If you have a night-time cough, take 1 teaspoon right before retiring and then another one during the night. If your cough is severe, take concoction every 4 hours starting with when you wake up. As the cough gets better, you take less and less.

• Honey for Burns: Apply to burn, cover with a soft bandage.

• Honey for Asthma: Right before going to bed, take a mixture of 1 tsp. honey with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

• Honey for Hang-overs: Eat honey on bread or crackers. The fructose in the honey helps to flush out the alcohol in your system.

HONEY OR HONEYCOMB FOR ALLERGIES

Honeycomb is an old Vermont remedy for allergies. When honeycomb is chewed regularly during allergy season, it completely alleviates allergies. Recipe: Chew a piece of honeycomb as long as possible as though it were a piece of gum. Within 30 minutes of chewing honeycomb, symptoms like a stuffy nose and headache disappear. Start chewing honeycomb a week or two before allergy season starts and you may not get any allergies. The honeycomb should be from a local bee farm so your best luck in finding a local variety is probably at your farmer's market. If you can't find honeycomb, try combed honey. Plain honey apparently works as well: dosage is 2 TBLS at each meal, three times a day.

Honey and Cinnamon

Honey and Cinnamon
A MIXTURE FOR CURES
INTRODUCTION


It is found that a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases.
Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world.
Ayurvedic, as well as Yunani medicine, have been using honey as a vital medicine for centuries.
Scientists of today also accept honey as a Ram Ban (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases.
Honey can be used without any side effects for all kinds of diseases.
Today's science says that, even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it will not harm diabetic patients.
A famous magazine named Weekly World News published in Canada dated 17 January, 95 has given a list of diseases that can be cured by Honey and Cinnamon as researched by western scientists.

ARTHRITIS
Take one part honey to two parts of luke warm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Make a paste and massage it on the itching part of the body slowly.
The pain should recede within fifteen minutes in most cases.
Arthritis patients can take one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder every day.
If drunk regularly, even chronic arthritis can be cured.
In a recent research done at Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon honey and half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people treated, 73 patients were totally relieved of pain within a month. Mostly of these patients could not walk or move around freely, but after the therapy, they started walking with less pain.

HAIR LOSS

Those suffering from hair loss or baldness, may apply a paste of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder before a bath and keep it for approximately 15 minutes, and then wash the hair.
It was found very effective if kept for 5 minutes as well.

BLADDER INFECTIONS

Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of luke warm water and drink it. It destroys the germs of the bladder.

TOOTHACHE

Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey, and apply on the aching tooth. This may be done 3 times a day (daily) till such time, that the tooth has stopped aching.

CHOLESTEROL

Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea, when given to a cholesterol patient, reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours.
As mentioned for arthritic patients - If taken 3 times a day, it lowers the cholesterol level.
As per the information received in a Medical Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS

Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon of luke warm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days.
This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.

INFERTILITY

Yunani and Ayurvedic have been using honey for years in medicine to strengthen the semen of men.
If impotent men regularly take two tablespoons of honey before sleeping, their problem will be solved.
In China, Japan and the Far East, women who do not conceive, and to strengthen the uterus, have been taking cinnamon powder for centuries.
Women who cannot conceive may take a pinch of cinnamon powder in half a teaspoon of honey, and apply it on the gums frequently throughout the day, so that it slowly mixes with the saliva and enters the body.
A couple in Maryland (USA) had no children for 14 years and had left hope of having a child of their own. When told about this process, both husband and wife started taking honey and cinnamon as stated above, The wife conceived after a few months and had twins at full term.

STOMACH UPSET

Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.
GAS : According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that honey, if taken with cinnamon powder, relieves gas and pain in the stomach.

HEART DISEASES

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder. Apply on bread or chapatti instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast.
It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from the risk of a heart attack.
For those who have had an attack in the past, follow this process daily and avoid the risk of another attack.
Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat.
In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have discovered that the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged. Honey and Cinnamon improves blood flow.

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks.
Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large mounts.
Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on 2 tablespoons of honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ingredient which kills influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY

Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, and when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age.
Take 4 spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon powder and 3 cups of water and boil to make like tea.
Drink 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.
Life span also increases, and you begin to feel younger!

PIMPLES

Take three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it the next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS

Eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections are cured by applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts.

WEIGHT LOSS

Every morning, on an empty stomach, half an hour before breakfast, and again at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water.
If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person.
Also drinking of this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body, even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully.
Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month, 3 times a day and continue with the Oncologist’s treatment. No harm lost!

FATIGUE

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful than detrimental to one’s body strength.
Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon power in equal parts are more alert and flexible.
Dr. Milton, who has carried out extensive research on this subject, says that, half a tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder taken daily after brushing, and again in the afternoon around 3.00 p.m. when the vitality of the body starts decreasing, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH

People of South America:
The first thing in the morning they gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water. so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

LOSS OF HEARING

Honey and Cinnamon powder taken in equal parts daily, restores hearing.

The endangered honey bee – global implications

On a trip though the USA last year I heard this chilling quotation: ‘If bees disappear from the surface of the Earth, man will have no more than four years to live.’ Once home, I began a flurry of research. The prediction (erroneously attributed to Einstein) was first written down in 1955. Today Colony Collapse Disorder has serious implications for plants, wildlife and yes – humans.

HISTORY

Honey has been part of the human diet and used medicinally for thousands of years. There is evidence that the Egyptians and the ancient Greeks farmed honey.

Research has indicated that honeybees originated in Africa and are almost as old as flowering plants. They then spread into Europe in two ancient migrations. In the New World the introduction of the European honeybee began in North America as early as 1622. In 1956 a subspecies from Africa was introduced into Brazil in an attempt to increase honey production. The descendants of these bees spread rapidly northward, hybridising with and displacing the previous European honeybee, resulting in the African killer bee. The killer bee stopped its northward migration in 1999 as the winters were too cold.

COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER (CCD)

CCD is little understood and has scientists baffled. It was first reported in Northern America in late 2006. European beekeepers observed a similar phenomenon in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, England, Slovenia and Germany. Cases have been reported in Taiwan and India since April 2007. Losses of up to 80% have been reported. The theorised causes are environmental changes, malnutrition, mites, viruses, pesticides, EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies or radiation from cellular phones and other man-made devices), and GM (genetically modified) crops.

SYMPTOMS

CCD is characterised by complete absence of adult bees, with no build up of dead bees in or around the colonies. Capped brood (unhatched larvae) is present (bees will not normally desert a hive until all the brood has hatched). Food in the form of honey and pollen is present in the hive. Other bees do not rob deserted hives. The workforce is made up of juvenile bees and the Queen is present. The remaining bees are reluctant to consume the food provided.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES

Erratic weather patterns could be playing havoc with the bees’ sensitive cycles. Some say that plants are flowering earlier than previously, when it is still too cold for honeybees to collect pollen, so they are missing out on that important source of pollen. Dry hot conditions also affect the pollen and nectar flow. Buds shrivel up and die before the honeybees can harvest the pollen, or the bees harvest sterile pollen, causing malnutrition.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FREQUENCIES

Some scientists say that the radiation given off by cell phones and other hi-tech gadgets is interfering with the bees’ navigational system, preventing them from returning to their hives.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

Genetically modified, insect-resistant crops now constitute 40% of corn crops in America. Research at the University of Jenna (2001 - 2004) investigated the effect on bees of pollen from the GM maize crop ‘BT corn’.¹ The study concluded that there was no evidence of a toxic effect on healthy honeybees. However the bees used in the experiment were infested with a parasite, resulting in a significant decline in the bees fed the BT crop. According to studies the bacterial toxin may have altered the surface of the bees’ intestines, weakening them and allowing the parasites to gain entry. Bee colonies most badly affected have been close to GM maize, cotton, soya beans, canola, sunflowers, apples, vines and pumpkins.

VARROA MITE

Definite losses have occurred due to the Varroa mite, but it is certain to be temporary.[JC1]

Using the cattle industry as an example, it is not pathogenic forces that are threatening the stock, but rather decades of connivance and intervention involving antibiotics, hormones and other ‘propping up’ of the species. In a bid to avoid having to work with a species that seems overly aggressive, humans have been cultivating a more docile temperament in the bee. Consequently bees are not equipped to deal with these mites. As with predation, only the strongest and fittest survive.

VIRUS – ISRAEL ACUTE PARALYSIS VIRUS (IAPV)

Scientists undertaking genetic analysis of American bees collected over the past few years have discovered that IAPV was present 95% of the time. They do not believe that this virus is the main cause – all the other factors considered lead up to the viral attack. Australian bees also tested positive for the virus; however there has been no evidence of CCD in the Australian colonies. Australia exports $45 million worth of bees to North America annually. CCD has been reported as a northern hemisphere phenomenon.

PESTICIDES

It is particularly difficult to evaluate pesticide contribution to CCD. The variety of pesticides reported in CCD areas makes it impossible to test for all the pesticides at once. Bee farmers are migratory, often transporting hives over long distances and exposing the colony to a variety of pesticides. The bees themselves put the nectar and honey into long-term storage, meaning there is a delay in feeding the contaminated provisions to the colony. Pesticides are more likely to enter the colony via pollen stores rather than via nectar. The nectar would kill the bees if it were toxic. Broods are fed nectar, while the workers eat honey. CCD hives have brood intact, so the bees must leave because the honey is toxic.

One recently published view is that the bees are falling victim to nicotine-based pesticides.² All the affected hives as well as the soil would need to be tested.

ANTIBIOTICS AND MITICIDES

Most beekeepers affected by CCD have reported using antibiotics and miticides (insecticide) in their colonies. Hives of organic beekeepers do not seem to be affected with the disorder.

POLLINATION

Bees are important pollinators, especially in the agricultural industry. It is estimated that one-third of the human food supply depends on bee pollination. This has led to a vast industry in the Americas of migratory beekeepers so that bees can be concentrated where pollination is needed. Pollination improves the yield and quality of the crop and seeds.

Honeybees participate in the sexual reproduction of plants, ensuring cross-pollination and genetic diversity. Plants are the major food source for animals and humans alike.

HOW HUMANS MANIPULATE BEES

In his lectures on bees in 1923 Rudolph Steiner predicted the dire state of the honeybee today.³ He said that in 50 - 80 years we would see the consequences of mechanising the forces that had previously operated organically in the beehive. This includes breeding the Queen bee artificially.

The following are ways in which humans manipulate bee colonies:

· Larvae are raised in separate quarters and royal jelly is fed to produce Queens, which are then shipped by post to keepers.

· Bees are selected for docility.

· Hives are re-queened after 1 or 2 years instead of the normal 5 - 6 years.

· Queens are grafted (artificially produced).

· Larvae are moved to artificial cups for transportation.

· Chemical agents are used to control diseases and pests.

· Ready-made combs are provided in place of bee-constructed combs.

· Wax is supplied (as opposed to the bees making it).

· Ventilators are used.

· Queen excluders are used to prevent eggs being laid in inconvenient areas of the hive.

· Hives are moved over long distances.

· The Queen’s wings are clipped.

· The agricultural practice of monoculture wreaks havoc on the honeybees’ diet.

CONCLUSION

Bees are the true alchemists of nature – no other creature can protect or project the knowledge they do. Humans don’t yet know how to pollinate crops. As such CCD may seriously affect our food production, economy, and indeed our sustainability here on earth.

References

1. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,473166,00.html

2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder#Varroa_and_Israel_Acute_Paralysis_Virus

3. http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/Dates/19120229p01.html

Resources

1. Daily Record United Kingdom:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2008/02/09/bee-virus-could-wipe-out-mankind-warn-scientists-86908-20313331/

2. BBC News:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3523453.stm

3. Science Daily:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061025181534.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070426100117.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070518144833.htm

4. Organic Consumers’ Association:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5356.cfm

---